Amazon.com Raises Quality of Life for Brownsville Recipients of Food Stamps, SNAP, Government Assistance

Low income residents in Brownsville,  of one of the poorest cities in the United States, just got a hand up from Amazon.com, a leading internet retailer.

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Customers possessing a 19 number EBT or Electronic Benefits Transfer card, SNAP, Supplemental Nutritional Assistance or WIC, the Woman's Infants, Children Nutritional Program  to purchase necessary food items, as well as those receiving TANF, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, will be offered an Amazon Prime membership at the reduced monthly rate of $5.99, a membership which entitles them to free 2-day shipping, access to thousands of movies and an enormous cache of music.

"We designed this membership option for customers receiving government assistance to make our everyday selection and savings more accessible,” Greg Greeley, vice president of Amazon Prime, said in a statement.  Families qualifying for such governmental assistance must have a maximum annual income of $26, 546 for a family of three."

The announcement of this new aspect of Amazon Prime came on the heels of the announcement that Amazon was moving in a large way as a player, particularly in Texas, in the delivery aspect of their business, which, up until now, has been handled by USPS, UPS and Fed-Ex.